Breech loading gun



(No Mdel.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 1. Y

I. N. P. STORES. BREEGH LOADING GUNr 'INE NAYICJNAL Ln'MnGFiAPmNa ccMFANY.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S E K 0 T S R N L (No Model.)

BREBGH LOADING GUN.

Patented June 26 1894.

1HE NATIONAL u'moeRAFmNe cnMPANv.

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(No Model.) 3 sheetssheet 3,

I. N. P. STOKES. BREEGH LOADING GUN.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT Enron.

ISAAC NEIVTON PHELPS STOKES, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

BRE'CH-LOADING GU N.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 521,831,6.ated June 26, 1894.

Appiicanon filed March is, 1893.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC NEWTON PHELPs STORES, acitizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Repeating Arms, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the same.

My invention is an improvement in magarzine repeating arms, such as military or sporting rliies, or Shotguns and is designed to accomplish certain objects recognized as very desirable in guns of this kind.

The particular form of gun to which the inventlon pertains is that in which the ejection of the empty shells and the charging of a new shell in the breech are effected by the longitudinal movement 0f a hand piece whereby, after a discharge, the gun may be immediately reloaded without removing it from the shoulder or losing the aim. Themechanism, however, which I have devised and contemplate using for this purpose, as well as the principle of its operation, I believe to be entirely new.

'I he improvements in which my invention resldes consist mainly in the combination with a longitudinally movable barrel and a breech-block forming an integral part of the frame orcasting, of atransversely movablecartridge carrier for transferring the cartridges from a position in alignment with the magazine tube to one in alignment with the barrel, and connections of novel character between the movable hand-piece controlling the action of the gun and the said breech mechanism.

The invention also includes anovel device for locking the barrel positively against movement, and a particular construction by means of which the connections between the handpiece and the breech mechanism are normally inclosed within anfprotected by the former. These features involve various novel details of construction which will be more fully hereinafter described and speciiied in the accompanying claims.

Referring now to the drawings which illustrate a rifle embodying in a practical form Serial No. 465,764. (No model.)

the improvements above referred to:-Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section, the parts being in a position ready for firing. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same when a loaded shellyhas been presented to the breech and is about to be forced into the same. Fig. 3 is van enlarged view of the breech mechanism, taken on line -.r of Fig. 4. Fig. 4t is a broken section on line y-g/-y of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is avertical cross-section of the gun on line QoL- of Fig. 3, and looking toward the breech. Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are similar views on lines 0c, g/ y and y-y respectively in Fig. 3. and looking toward the muzzle. Figs. 9 and 10 are perspective views of parts of the mechanisms in different positions.

A, A designate tne breech frame and casing composed of a casing and plates of any proper design and secured in the usual manner to the stock A. Aportion of this casing constitutes a solid breech-block B, against which the rear of the barrel closely abuts.

The barrel B is fitted and adapted to slide longitudinally in the frame or casing A, toward and from the face of the breech-block B, its movements being controlled by the means hereinafter described.

In a chamber formed within the casing A, immediately under the rear portion of the sliding barrel is a carrier C for receiving the cartridges from the magazine and conveying them to a position in alignment with the opening in the breech. The special construction of this device may be varied to a very great extent, Without departure from the invention. In the present instance it consists of a trough the under side of which is provided with a socket or seat a, in which works thel end of a lever O forming one arm of a bellcrank lever mounted within the casing on a shaft C. Over the edge of the said trough which is to receive the cartridges from the magazineand near the forward end of the same projects a spring catch or arm h, while at the rear end of the trough and bridging the same is a hinged or pivoted plate b having arearwardly extended linger b. A spring c (Fig. 5) bears on the heel of plate b and tends to keep it closed or down across the trough.

IOO

The magazine D is located forward of the breech case and parallel with the barrel. It is provided with the usual springD and head D for forcing the cartridges into the carrier. 'Ihe loaded shells are placed in the magazine through a hinged door d in the side of the breech-case. In the bottom of the latter is a spring-actuated arm d provided with a toe d with a normal tendency to stand in the path of the cartridges and prevent them from passing from the magazine into the carrier, but when the latter is lowered, as shown in Fig. 1, the arm cl is depressed, and a shell is forced backward into the carrier, the next cartridge in the magazine being prevented from backward movement bythe point of the cartridge in the carrier. The butt of a cartridge in the carrier comes into engagement with an extension e of the breech-block, as shown in Fig. l, and is retained in proper position bysuch engagement and by the instrumentality of the spring catch b, and hinged plate b', the extension h of which engages with the flange of the cartridge.

E is the hand-piece secured to the sliding barrel B. Pivoted to this hand-piece are two bars E E that extend backward into and through the breech case. The bar E is formed near its rear end with a step or depression'fback of which is a hook or stud f with which, when the bar is drawn forward the end of the short arm F of the bell crank lever engages. When such engagement takes place and the bar E by means of the hand piece is drawn forward the bell crank lever is turned about'its shaft, and the long arm raised, elevating the carrier O. The arm F is permitted sufficient play by the presence of the depression f into which it passes. A spring F acts upon the bell-crank to keep it in its normal position with the long arm depressed. The slide bar E is provided with a hook or stud f, that engages with an arm G from the spindle G carrying the hammer G and cocks the latter when the hand-piece E is drawn forward. The hammer is engaged by the sear and trigger II which is mounted on the shaft C.

For the purpose of extracting the empty shells from the barrel I employ two stationary hooks h, h, (Fig. 5) which are secured to the breech-block and which enter recesses 7a in the breech at the sides of the opening of the barrel when the gun is closed. I also use a spring catch c that extends through a slot in the breech-block out into the path of a cartridge in the carrier.

When the carrier cont-aining a cartridge is thrown upward the butt of the shell forces the spring c back into the groove, until the butt of the shell has moved past it. The spring then acts as a stop to engage with the flange of the shell which at the sides is also in engagement with the extractor hooks 7i, h.

The operation of the mechanism thus far described is as follows: Assuming the parts to be in the position indicated in Fig. 1, and

the cartridge in the barrel to have been exploded, the hand-piece is rst forced forward to its full extent and then returned to effect the operation of reloading. in this operation engages with the arm G and cocks the hammer; next, the hook f engages the arm F and lifts the arm C and carrier C. As the latter rises the toe d is forced upward and engages with the butt of the rearmost cartridge in the magazine and checks lts movement. The forward movement of the hand-piece carries with it the barrel B', which leaves the exploded shell with its iange engaged by the extractor hooks h, h. This shell is struck by the spring catch b and plate 1 1 on the carrier C, as the latter rises and 1s ejected from the casing. Vhen the carrier has risen until the cartridge therein is in alignment with the breech opening the hand-piece is returned. The point of the bullet enters the barrel While the butt is held up by the engagement of its flange with the hooks h, h, and spring c. The carrier therefore leaves the cartridge, the spring b being forced aside and the hinged plate b being raised. The furtherbackward niovementof the hand-piece and barrel drives the cartridge home ready for firing, while the carrier depressing the arm d in its descent receives another cartridge from the magazine.

In a gun of the kind which I have now described, it is necessary to positively lock the barrel against longitudinal movement during discharge. I propose to effect this through the instrumentality of the breech mechanism and by the same movement that eifects the loading and reloading. For this purpose I cut a notch in the barrel, as shown at L, and insert in a suitable chamber or space in the casing of the breech a sliding plate or bolt L which when elevated enters said notch and locks the barrel against movement. The lower portion of this plate is cut away at the sides to afford spaces through which the slideV bars E E may pass. The ynotches or cut away portions, which are shown in Fig. 7, afford upper and lower bearing surfaces or shoulders for the engagement of cam surfaces on the said slides. These latter are indicated by the letters M, M', and are inclined in opposite directions, the cams M being back of the cams M and so placed that when the slides have nearly reached the limit of their backward movement they will engage with the upper shoulders at the edges of the plate and force the plate up into the notch in the barrel. The function of the forward cam surfaces M is to engage with the lower shoulders of the plate on the forward movement of the barrel and draw the same down to unlock the barrel. But since at the instant of raising the plate L it is essential that the barrel be fully home against the breech-block, I provide a connection between the barrel and hand-piece that admits of a limited independent or lost motion.

N is a spring plate bifurcated at one end The slide bar E' IOC IOC

IIC

and attached to the casting of the breech case at the other so as to be under and close to the barrel.

The hand piece comprises a casting or box N to which the wooden side pieces N are secured. A slot is formed in this casting through whiclr projects a stud O set in the under side of the barrel.

O is a spring plate or tongue secured tol the box N and carrying at its free end a cross-bar O.

lVhen the gun is closed and the handpiece drawn fully up, as shown in Fig. 3, the cross-bar O rests in notches or indentations in the under side ot the bifurcated plate N. If the hand-piece be moved forward it carries the cross-bar 0" along over the plate N until it slips oit from the same into a notch or recess in the stud O. rlhe barrel and hand-piece are thus connected and any further movement of the latter causes the barrel to slide.

In moving the hand-piece from its normal position to the point at which it engages with the barrel the inclines M, M are drawn for- Ward and the plateL withdrawn from engagement with the barrel, which being thus unlocked is free to slide forward. On the return of the hand-piece the barrel is forced home against the breech-block just as the cross-bar O reaches the beveled end of spring plate N and is lifted thereby out of engagement with the stud 0. This permits the further movement of the hand piece and slide bars which locks the barrel. A

In respect to the advantages which the gu above described possesses, it may be further remarked that the heaviest charges may be safely fired from it without danger of any strain or injury to the breech mechanism by reason of the solid and stationarybreech-block and positively locked barrel. It will also be noted that the special construction of handpiece and connections therefrom to the breech mechanism is such that no part of the said connections is exposed except at the moment of thrusting forward and returning the hand-piece.

I do not desire to be understood as limiting my invention to the precise constructions herein shown, for the details may be very greatly varied, but

Vhat I claim isl. In a magazine gun, the combination with a stationary breech-block, of a barrel movable longitudinally with respect to the breechblock, a cartridge carrier movable transu versely to the barrel and adapted to transfer cartridges from a magazine to a position in alignment with the barrel, a sliding handpiece and independent connections between the same and the barrel and cartridge carrier respectively, whereby the feed mechanism is operated simultaneouslytwith the movement of the barrel.

2. In a magazine gun, the combination with a stationary breech-block, of abarrel movable longitudinally with respect to the breechblock7 a cartridge-feeding mechanism, a sliding hand-piece, connections between the same and the barrel, other connections between the same and the feed mechanism, and abolt for engaging with thebarreloperated by the handpiece for locking the barrel when in position against the breech-block.

3. In a magazinegun, the combination with a stationary breech-block and sliding barrel, of a locking plate or bolt for engaging with the barrel and movable transversely to the same, a sliding hand-piece, aconnection with lost motion between the same and the barrel, and a part moving with the hand-piece and adapted to engage with and operate the locking plate at a point in its path of movement when the barrel is in position against the breech-block, as set forth.

ll. The combinationin a magazine gun with a stationary breech-block, a sliding barrel and a magazine opening into thebreech case, of a vertically movable carrierwit-hin the case for receiving and transferring the cartridges, a lever connected therewith, a sliding handpiece connected with the barrel and a bar or rod attached to the same and adapted to engage with the carrier lever and raise the carrier when the barrel and hand-piece are thrust forward.

5. In a magazine gun, the combination with a sliding barrel and a hand-piece for moving the same, of a means for connecting the barrel and hand-piece consisting of a stud or projection on the barrel extending through a slot in the hand-piece, a spring arm carried by the hand-piece and engaging with the stud, and a plate or bar securedA to the stationary frame of the gun adapted to engage with the said spring arm at a predetermined point in its path and raise it from engagement with the stud.

6. The combination with the sliding barrel and the magazine below and parallel with the same, of a cartridge carrier and ejector located in the breech casing under the barrel, a lever pivoted to the carrier and adapted to raise it when the barrel has been moved forward, a spring-actuated stop normally depressed by the carrier, but adapted to intercept and prevent the ejection of the cartridges from the magazine when the carrier is raised, a hand-piece or slide and connections between the same and the barrel and carrier lever respectively.

7. The combination with the stationary breech-block, having the extractor hooks h, h and spring c, and the sliding barrel, of the cartridge carrier movable vertically within the breech casing and in front of the breechblock, and consisting of a trough provided with a spring catch overhanging the forward end, and a spring actuated hinged plate bridging the rear end.

8. The combination with the sliding barrel IZO and hand-piece connected therewith with 10st In testimony whereof I have hereto set my motion,of the vertically movable plateor bolt hand this 3d day of February, 1893. L adapted to enterl a recess in the barrel, the

cartridge-feedingmechanism,thesiidi'ngbars ISAAC NEWTON IIIELPS STORES. E E" for operating the feeding mechanism and connected with the hand-piece, and pro- Witnesses:

vided with inelines for raising the bolt1 or JAMES GRAHAM STORES,

plate L by engagement therewith. IOGESH CHUNDER BOSE. 

